1956 Won't start!

[jrvariel48]

A Friend of mine is selling his fathers 1956 Fairlane 4 door Town Sedan.
It has a 292 with a 4 barrel and Tbird package?
He has gas in the car and it won't turn over. He said it has spark but when he pumps the gas he can't hear or smell any gas coming from the carb. He also said there looks like some sort of vacuum can with hoses on top of the fuel pump. I don't know anything about this year car. Any help would be great.
Thank you!

 

[Dobie Gillis]

Squirt some Berryman B12 or other flammable carb cleaner into the carb throat and see if it'll fire. If it does that suggests it's not getting fuel. Could be the fuel pump is toast, a clogged fuel filter or a blockage. The can on the fuel pump is a booster for the vacuum wipers. One hose goes to the intake manifold and the other to the wiper motor.

 

[dmsfrr]

A Friend of mine is selling his fathers 1956 Fairlane 4 door Town Sedan.
It has a 292 with a 4 barrel and Tbird package?
He has gas in the car and it won't turn over. He said it has spark but when he pumps the gas he can't hear or smell any gas coming from the carb. He also said there looks like some sort of vacuum can with hoses on top of the fuel pump. I don't know anything about this year car. Any help would be great.
Thank you!

Here's a photo of a two-stage (fuel & vacuum) fuel pump. There should be fuel in the glass bowl, if it has one.
The second photo is a similar engine, so you can see the general layout but the fuel line up from the pump and the vacuum lines to/from the pump may be in slightly different places and this one has an in-line fuel filter above the pump.
The vacuum lines are for the windshield wipers and heater controls.
Starting fluid / carb cleaner to see if the engine will kick over on that will let you know if the ignition is working.

You could loosen the gas cap, undo the fuel line fitting on the carburetor and crank the engine to see if fuel comes out the open line.
Letting loose fuel get near anything electrical on the engine would be bad.
Running a temporary hose to a gas can, with a fire extinguisher nearby is a good thing, just in case.
But you knew that.
.

 

[Daves55Sedan]

If the engine won't turn over, it is of no consequence whether there is gas or not. How long has this thing been sitting idle?
First thing you gotta have is an engine that will at least crank.
Check battery with a charger. Clean battery cable connections. Make sure ground connection from battery to engine block is clean and tight.

 

[dmsfrr]

If the engine won't turn over, it is of no consequence whether there is gas or not. How long has this thing been sitting idle?
First thing you gotta have is an engine that will at least crank.
Check battery with a charger. Clean battery cable connections. Make sure ground connection from battery to engine block is clean and tight.

I assumed he actually meant the engine turns over with the starter, "He said it has spark", but it will not start or run. In fairness, he's relaying second hand information about something he hasn't seen or been part of.
If the original question was more specific about the difference between: the starter & engine will not turn over/rotate at all, and... the engine turns over/rotates with the starter motor but does not try to start or run, it would have helped with the confusion.

To make sure it actually has spark: connect a dwell meter to the distributor, or pull the center wire from the distributor cap and place that end near a good ground, then crank the engine over.
However... this test doesn't check the rotor, dist cap, plug wires or spark plugs.

.

 

[jrvariel48]

Thanks everyone! I will pass on the info!!